Ariana Madix Heartbroken Island …Bursts Into Tears While Discussing Difficult Season

Ariana Madix has a lot of love in her heart for the participants of “Love Island” … and, this ordeal of a season has really broken her down.

The host of the popular reality TV show opened up about the troubles on the hit show during an interview on “Love Island USA: Aftersun” Saturday … an ‘LI’ companion talk show.

Madix calls it a “tough season” — an understatement, if we’re being honest — and, she’s clearly trying to blink back tears at first … before she lets the emotion out.

She says it’s affected people still on the island, islanders who have been eliminated … and, even herself. Ariana dabs tears from her eyes and says she wants all the contestants to know how much she loves each and every one of them.

Madix jokingly calls herself “The Glam Reaper” — sometimes she’s gotta axe people from the show, after all.

Of course, the casting trouble this season is well-documented … because two of the contestants — Cierra Ortega and Yulissa Escobar — got kicked off the island for previous racist commentary.

Getty

We spoke with a casting director — ITV’s Joy Tenenberg — who put the blame squarely on production for allowing multiple contestants with checkered pasts on the show.

The season 7 finale airs tonight at 6 PM PT … and, it’s sure to be an emotional end to an exhausting season.

It’s not just the contestants feeling the emotional weight this season on Love Island Games. In a raw and revealing behind-the-scenes moment, host Ariana Madix was brought to tears as she opened up about the unexpectedly intense emotional toll of the series’ second season. Known for her composure and fierce presence on reality television, Madix surprised fans by showing a deeply vulnerable side — and it’s already resonating across social media.

The moment occurred during a post-filming interview segment, in which Ariana was asked about what it was like watching the drama unfold from such close proximity. At first collected, the Vanderpump Rules star suddenly paused, her voice cracking. “I knew this show would be wild,” she said, “but I didn’t expect to be this affected. Watching people fall in love and then get hurt in real-time — it got to me.”

She continued, visibly emotional: “I saw people break, like truly break. And they still had to keep playing the game. It’s easy to watch from your couch. But when you’re there… it hits differently.”

Season 2 of Love Island Games, which premieres October 15 on Peacock, features contestants from various international versions of Love Island who compete not only for love but in physical and strategic challenges. The stakes are high, and the emotions are even higher. According to early sources from the production team, this season sees some of the “most shocking betrayals” and “unexpected breakdowns” in the franchise’s history — moments that deeply affected both cast and crew.

One producer who witnessed Ariana’s emotional response said, “She wasn’t just playing host. She was absorbing everything — the tears, the confrontations, the late-night heartbreaks. You could see it weighing on her.”

This marks a shift in tone for Madix, who rose to pop culture prominence after enduring her own very public heartbreak during the infamous “Scandoval” cheating scandal that rocked the Bravo universe in 2023. That chapter, filled with betrayal and media scrutiny, seemed to prepare her for just about anything — but this season proved that even Ariana has her limits.

“She’s incredibly empathetic,” said a fellow crew member. “She connected with the Islanders more than anyone expected. There were nights she stayed behind after filming just to talk with them, check in, or offer encouragement. She became part of their journey.”

Fans have already begun rallying around Ariana online. Hashtags like #HeartOfTheIsland and #ArianaBreaksSilence began trending shortly after snippets of her tearful interview surfaced. One user on X (formerly Twitter) posted:

“She’s not just hosting. She’s carrying the emotional weight of the whole island. Protect Ariana at all costs.”

Another fan wrote:

“Seeing Ariana cry hit harder than any breakup on the show. You know she felt this season.”

The moment also raises an interesting question about the evolution of reality television: Are hosts becoming more than just narrators? With Ariana stepping in not only as a guide but also as an emotional anchor for both contestants and viewers, the role of the host seems to be changing — becoming more human, more involved, and, in many ways, more essential.

As Love Island Games Season 2 prepares for its highly anticipated premiere, one thing is certain: this will not be just another tropical fling of a TV show. With Ariana Madix at the helm — and clearly emotionally invested — the season promises to deliver not only the steamy moments fans crave, but also real, raw heartbreak.

And sometimes, even the strongest hearts — like Ariana’s — can break on the island.